AGP Executive Report

Craft Supply Access: Brooklyn Public Library launched a Craft Supply Library, letting cardholders rent tools and kits like Cricut machines, linocut sets, and button makers—aimed at lowering the cost barrier to trying new hobbies. AI & Publishing Economics: A new wave of frontier AI claims is challenging U.S. companies’ revenue assumptions, with open-weight models and lower compute costs putting pressure on the “premium API” business thesis. Children, Screens & Health: A physician-focused piece highlights links between early smartphone use and worse outcomes like depression, obesity, and sleep problems, urging families to manage device habits. School Book Removals: Florida reported nearly 600 books pulled from public schools in 2025–26, with Clay and Escambia counties driving most removals amid ongoing First Amendment concerns. New Books & Events: Stationery history gets a 304-page deep dive; a new crime novel spotlights a trans detective; and Julia Donaldson’s long-awaited third Gruffalo book, Gruffalo Granny, lands after two decades. 9/11 in Books & Memory: Multiple anniversary-related narratives and reflections continue to circulate, including accounts tied to Flight 93 and newsroom memories.

Independent Publishing: Ithaca’s Terrazzo Editions, a kitchen-table press focused on sustainable production, will debut “The Art Of Conjuring” on Sept. 22. Rights & Licensing: Intercontinental Literary Agency has acquired The Marsh Agency, expanding translation and English-language rights operations. AI Transparency in Research: Oxford University Press updates author guidelines after a survey found AI use is “measurably under-disclosed,” with many researchers unsure what to reveal. Children’s Books & Inclusion: A new Reflecting Disability report says only 10% of children’s books include disabled characters, often only in the background. Community Reading: Everett’s Strange Ways Bar and Stage adds a weekly poetry slam, building on the city’s long-running open-mic culture. Library Support: Ireland launches Lullaby Library, encouraging parents of premature babies to read aloud during hospital stays. Book Collecting: A UK Agatha Christie first edition “The Secret Adversary” bought for 37p could be worth up to £80,000 with the dust jacket. Local Author Events: Rakestraw Books’ Local Author-Palooza brings kids’ and adult writers together for readings, signings, and workshops.

AI & Research Ethics: OpenAI’s Navier-Stokes breakthrough and Anthropic researchers’ worries about superintelligence control are fueling a new debate over who “operates” AI tools and what gets shared—plus fresh scrutiny of how private research and attribution work in AI-assisted science. Publishing & Adaptations: Peacock has ordered a series based on Kennedy Ryan’s romance novel Before I Let Go, with Attica Locke and Tembi Locke writing and showrunning, and Ryan plus Malcolm D. Lee among the exec producers. Local Libraries & Community: Clackamas County’s Oak Lodge Library earned a spot in the American Library Association’s 2026 Library Design Showcase, spotlighting a $22.8M project that “stitches” the campus together. Books & Events: Daniel Mason’s new Vermont-set novel Country People lands on shelves with an author talk at Shelburne Town Hall, while St. Marys’ Dolly Parton Imagination Library pushes toward a $300,000 endowment to keep books flowing. 9/11 in Books & Memory: A full text of Osama bin Laden’s 2002 “Letter to America” is circulating again as communities mark the anniversary through readings, exhibits, and memorials.

Opioid Crisis & Memoir: Pacific Grove author Stephanie Wittels Wachs turns grief into guidance with Last Day; How to Stop Losing Loved Ones to the Opioid Crisis, built from her Last Day podcast and aimed at helping readers “highlight it and pass it along.” Literary Spotlight: Quebec debut novelist Thélyson Orélien’s C’était ça ou mourir makes the Prix Goncourt shortlist, a rare Quebec moment for a Haitian-born writer. Publishing & Access: A new report says self-published books now outnumber traditional titles as AI and TikTok reshape discovery. Book Retail & Film Crossover: Korea’s The Odyssey movie boom is spilling into bookstores, boosting adult classics and Greek-myth titles. Policy Watch (UK): The DWP’s PIP update signals “welcome” improvements while the Timms Review continues, with possible changes to assessments and reviews. Kids & School Costs: Nigeria’s new academic session brings higher textbook prices, with parents facing steep jumps in core subjects and related costs. Tech & Reading: A fresh push argues paper books still matter for deeper reading and better sleep, even as devices spread. Community Events: Amelia Island Book Festival brings Kristin Harmel to discuss Meet Me in Paris ahead of a Sept. 27 author talk.

AI & Research: OpenAI says an internal system proposed a solution to the Navier-Stokes “existence and smoothness” problem, while Anthropic reports separate advances in research math and proof generation—raising the stakes for AI that can produce candidate results humans must verify. Publishing & Books: Oratia Books releases He Kete Kiīwaha, a new guide to more than 180 Māori idioms by professor Hona Black, with graded difficulty and examples. Poetry Honors: The Poetry Foundation gives former U.S. poet laureate Robert Pinsky a $100,000 lifetime achievement award and names Nikki Grimes the next Young People’s Poet Laureate. Book Culture Events: Sint Maarten’s Third Reading Festival runs Sept. 25–26 with author visits, workshops, and literacy games for families and students. Local Book Life: The Butler Institute of American Art opens its 87th Area Artist Annual submissions for a juried show featuring regional artists. Media/Books Crossover: Keanu Reeves is set to star in Kill Current, adapted from Oliver Lowe’s upcoming novel, with publication planned for May 2027.

Book Launch & History: Lancaster’s Pocket Books Shop and LancasterHistory will host NYT bestselling author Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz for a free Sept. 10 event launching “The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker,” ahead of the 175th anniversary of the 1851 Christiana Resistance. Community Education: Liberia’s MCSS teachers are threatening a boycott over unresolved pay and employment grievances, raising concerns about disrupted instruction for thousands of students. Publishing & Crime: Canongate is commissioning a new true-crime series edited by Denise Mina. Picture Books: Farshore will publish two picture books by illustrator/designer Micaela Alcaino. AI & Reading Tools: Meta unveiled Muse, a personal AI agent that can read email, plan travel, fill forms, negotiate, and pay—positioned as an ad-free assistant. Digital Access: A St. Paul man is loading obsolete Kindle-style e-readers with public-domain and open-licensed classics for Little Free Libraries as Amazon ends support for older devices. Controversy in Genre: A look at how dark romance is surging via social media while critics debate whether it romanticizes violence and coercion.

International Publishing: Taleb Alrefai’s novel “Shadow of the Sun” is now available in Greek, marking the first Gulf novel translated into the language, with Irini Publications highlighting decades of cross-cultural literary translation. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Lauren Asher’s romance “Throttled” is headed for a feature film, with “Off Campus” star Josh Heuston set to lead. Local Library Life: Atchison County Library branches are rolling out a busy September calendar, including book clubs, Battle of the Books practice, storytimes, and “renew-and-get-popcorn” promos. Community Reading Events: Nelson’s Elephant Mountain Lit Fest is teaming up with the Nelson Public Library for a free writers’ panel and multi-author reading on Sept. 25, with books available for purchase afterward. Children’s Books & Literacy: A new holiday picture book series installment, “The Fly Who Flew to the North Pole,” launches in November, tied to a program that helps students build home libraries. Publishing Industry Watch: Microsoft’s latest legal claims around AI training and books continue to fuel debate over what counts as fair use.

Budget & Poverty: Ireland’s Children’s Rights Alliance chief Tanya Ward urges Budget 2027 to tackle child poverty fast, citing ESRI data showing 1 in 10 children deprived and 200,000 living below the poverty line, and calls for targeted boosts like higher child payments and help with childcare and energy costs. Publishing & Culture: A new interview with German writer Mithu Sanyal digs into how novels, journalism, and scholarship intersect in debates on race, gender, identity, and “shitstorms.” New Books: Mr. Kind’s picture book “Tina’s Trumpet” follows a lonely girl and the stray dog who becomes her family, while Ann Patchett’s “Whistler” gets a spotlight review for its museum-set reunion plot. Middle-Grade Deal: Simon & Schuster lands Danielle Jawando’s middle-grade fantasy debut in a six-figure overnight pre-empt. Kids Reading Picks: Children’s Books Ireland shares its “Best Irish Books of 2026” guide highlights for ages 0–12. Libraries & Literacy: Ghana Publishers Association marks International Literacy Day 2026 with a push for literacy as a right and a driver of opportunity. Education Pressure: A PISA 2025 report reports steep global drops in reading and math, adding urgency to reading-focused efforts.

Education Policy: The U.S.-style “reading overhaul” story hits Philly: teachers report phonics gaps, not enough time to read full books, and weak support for students who fall behind, even as district leaders say they’ve added flex days and reshaped materials. Publishing & Rights: In Poland, banks must revisit rejected fraud claims under EU rules, a reminder that “authorized” vs “authenticated” can decide whether money comes back. AI & Books: Sony Music and Warner Chappell sue Anthropic over alleged use of copyrighted songs to train Claude, adding to the growing fight over what AI can copy for training. Book Culture: A mother-daughter Greek-American history novel, reconstructed from letters and recipes, lands in the California State Library’s permanent collection. Local Literary Life: Grand Forks muralist Paul Archer unveils a Dolly Parton tribute mural. Author Events: Ibram X. Kendi brings “Chain of Ideas” to Lawrence for a Sept. 14 talk, with copies sold and signed at The Raven Book Store. Tech & Reading: A new glossary explains AI terms like “opaque recurrence,” aiming to make the fast-moving field easier to follow.

K-Book Week in Paris: Korea’s Culture Ministry is bringing 130 Korean titles to Galerie Joseph for “K-Book Week,” running through Sept. 18, with picture-book and literary showcases plus author and publisher rights talks tied to 140 years of Korea–France ties. Rights & publishing money fights: Writers are pushing back over how publishers and agents are claiming shares from Anthropic’s $1.5B copyright settlement, saying some claims don’t match the deal terms for reverted or out-of-print rights. Community reading culture: Jakarta’s “silent book club” scene is spreading, with groups like Baca Bareng gathering in malls to read together in near-total quiet. Book-to-screen pipeline: SACC’s Book2Screen Challenge is opening submissions (until Oct. 1) to turn Arabic books into animated IP, inviting publishers to pitch novels, graphic works, and children’s series. Local festival spotlight: Ithaca is Books returns for its sixth year with downtown events, panels, signings, and bookstore partnerships. Education funding with books in mind: The Philippines’ Expanded Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (RA 12325) includes allowances for books and supplies for eligible students.

AI Copyright Fight: Authors say publishers are trying to claim more than their share from the $1.5B Anthropic settlement, after writers reported surprise payment claims tied to older or reverted titles. Publishing & Rights Enforcement: Nigeria’s Copyright Commission seized about N7 million in suspected pirated books in a Garki Market raid, citing intelligence-led action to protect authors and right holders. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Audible previewed a multilingual adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula at Venice, with Jonathan Bailey as Dracula and Mina centered as the story’s driving force. Comics Sales Watch: Japan’s Oricon monthly print ranking for August put Kingdom volume 80 at #1, with Blue Lock and The Apothecary Diaries manga close behind. Literary Community Loss: Tributes continue for BBC journalist-author Stephen Walker, remembered for major Northern Ireland biographies and decades of reporting. Local Author Events: Charter Books announced sailing memoir author Cole Brauer for a Sept. 16 event tied to her First Light release.

Publishing & Rights: A new Philippines law (RA 12325) expands tertiary education support for 4Ps high school graduates, covering tuition, fees, and even allowances for books and supplies. Book Culture & Freedom to Read: A public backlash over readers being attacked for choosing controversial books (including The Diary of a Young Girl and Malala Yousafzai’s work) spotlights the gap between legal freedom and feeling safe reading in public. International Reading Trends: At Russia’s Moscow International Book Fair, Chinese literature is surging in popularity, with publishers like Eksmo pushing translated titles—especially historical and fantasy settings. Author Spotlight: Tracy Borman talks about her Tudor-focused theatre tour, promising a more human, less mythologized look at Henry VII and Henry VIII. Book-to-World Connections: A Maltese translation of Luigi Garlando’s Gowl! 1: Kick-Off brings the football-everyone-plays series to new readers. Literary Loss: Resil Mojares, a key historian behind the Philippines’ “first Holy Mass” site dispute, has died at 83. Media & Memoir: Dolly Parton’s death at 80 is driving fresh attention to her legacy, including her literacy work.

Publishing & Books on the Ground: New Mexico’s National Book Festival picks spotlight the Gila National Forest, with Caroline Starr Rose’s youth title “The Burning Season” and Philip Connors’ “The Mountain Knows the Mountain: A Fire Watch Diary” both tied to life on fire lookouts. Author & Legacy: Robin Morgan, the child star turned feminist poet, editor, and Women’s Media Center co-founder, has died at 85, with tributes underscoring her role in second-wave feminism. Book Culture & Community: A new children’s series, “The Chronicles of a Guinea Pig 2,” brings guinea-pig adventures to Maine’s Cundy’s Harbor, while local festivals like Belmont Bookshop’s literary weekend keep author events front and center. Reading, Tech & Well-Being: A new book interview spotlights “Screen Wise,” arguing screens beyond social media are shaping teens, and another feature warns meditation can backfire for some people. Sports & Adaptation Buzz: “Reacher” is unlikely to adapt Lee Child’s “61 Hours,” while Oasis reunion documentary “Don’t Look Back In Anger” aims to recreate the band’s comeback magic on screen.

Publishing & Politics: HarperCollins India will publish Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Belonging on Nov. 10 after a Penguin India dispute, with the controversy now framed as an author–publisher disagreement. AI & Copyright: The Seattle Times and Newsday sued Microsoft and OpenAI over alleged unauthorized scraping of their reporting to train AI. Science & Identity: Lise Barnéoud’s Hidden Guests explores microchimerism—migrating cells that can blur ideas of ancestry and self—shortlisted for the 2026 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize. Books & Culture: A documentary, Yu & Me, follows a Manhattan Chinatown bookstore’s survival after a fire, spotlighting community-run resilience. Reading Life: UK literacy advocates push for better school reading habits as children’s pleasure reading declines. Gaming Books: D&D’s Arcana Unleashed adds eight official backgrounds for 5.5e.

Publishing & Adaptations: Venice’s Book Adaptation Rights Market is showing how studios and streamers are buying screen rights earlier, with publishers pitching full catalogs as adaptation talks start before books even hit shelves. Major Book Deal: HarperCollins has confirmed it will publish Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Belonging on Nov. 10 after a dispute involving Penguin India. Book-to-Screen Casting: Netflix has begun production on Dan Brown’s The Secret of Secrets, with Morgan Spector as Robert Langdon and Rebecca Hall as Katherine Solomon. Local Book Events: Flutterbuy Books & More will host a signing with C.A.M. Muñoz for The Compulsive Writer (Oct. 17). Libraries & Community: Morgantown Public Library rolls out September programming, including teen crafting for local causes and multiple D&D and anime clubs. Education & Reading Culture: A look at how 9/11 still shapes schools highlights ongoing conversations about safety and trauma. Bookish Culture: The UN voted to move away from the Mercator map toward Equal Earth to better reflect Africa’s size.

Publishing Power Shift: HarperCollins India will publish Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love on Nov. 10, after Penguin Random House India backed out amid a dispute over editorial changes—PRHI says it was still willing to publish and denies the author refused edits. Children’s Books Deal: Templar Books acquired two more titles in Harriet Howe and Katie Cottle’s Little Wolf series, including Little Wolf’s Big Huff (Sept. 2026) and Little Wolf’s First Day (paperback Aug. 2027). Reading Future Debate: In Seoul, Millie’s Library marks 10 years and argues AI may change how people read, but reading will “create questions,” not disappear. Local Community Libraries: A Bluewater Rise family in Canada built a Little Free Library in their front yard, already drawing donations and weekly surprises for neighbors. Tech + Books Tension: A piece on remote work’s “hidden cost” and another on AI’s role in summarizing books both underline how modern life is reshaping attention and habits around reading.